Historic Property Research
From single family homes to expansive commercial districts, every property has a story. Taylor Research Group’s familiarity with navigating a broad array of repositories including archives, historical societies, municipal records, and libraries, allows us to conduct efficient, in-depth research and reveal your property’s history.
Residential properties
Our research services provide historical context and depth, unearthing your property’s colorful past and connecting it to the larger history of your neighborhood. Whether your interest is pure curiosity, commemorating an anniversary, or seeking to creatively add value when selling your home, TRG leverages our extensive research experience to craft targeted research plans that bring your home’s history to life. Drawing on our decades of historical research experience, TRG targets a range of records including deeds, construction permits, plat maps, architectural drawings, photographs, and more. Our research illuminates the work of architects and designers, helping clients identify the artists and stylistic trends behind the unique features in their homes. Additionally, we can uncover stories related to significant events and previous owners of the property.
Commercial Real Estate and Revitalized Properties
Adaptive reuse, the remodeling of historic buildings for new purposes, has grown increasingly popular, but many property owners do not know the full history of their site. TRG’s historic property services provide detailed information on the people, industries, and events that shaped the story of your building or site, as well as the surrounding community. Our research can be used to incorporate historic and heritage elements into your property, such as information displays, local ephemera, and historical and biographical profiles that will interest property owners, staff, and visitors to your establishment. We offer a range of research options tailored to fit your needs.
Applying for NPS Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit
Owners of residential and commercial properties in historical districts interested in rehabilitation often take advantage of the National Park Service’s (NPS) Historic Preservation Certification, which can lead to a 20% tax credit. The certification process is divided into three parts: Evaluation of Significance (Part 1), Description of Rehabilitation (Part 2), and Request of Certification of Completed Work (Part 3). TRG assists our clients with Part 1 of the application, which is subdivided into two sections. The first describes the building’s architecture and exterior and interior appearance over time, including all past alterations. The second section is a statement of significance explaining the building’s historical and cultural significance. Our experience with records related to a wide array of commercial and residential properties and structures gives us an edge when compiling these histories. Due to our location, TRG specializes in tax credit applications for properties in the DC and Baltimore Metro Areas, but we also research properties in other areas nationwide at our clients’ request; please contact us for details.
Applying for Historic Designation
TRG’s experienced team of researchers also provides foundational information to support applications for other types of historic property recognition, including real estate records, maps, and photographs, as well as records related to individuals who owned or were associated with the property and significant events in the property’s history. Whether you are applying for state or local historic designation, a National Register of Historic Places designation, or a historical marker or plaque, TRG is here to help.